The Difference Between Nearsightedness and Farsightedness
If you’ve been diagnosed with nearsighted vision or farsighted vision, or if you’re just concerned that you may have one of these conditions, then you’ve probably got questions about them.
Many people have trouble understanding the difference between nearsighted and farsighted, but fortunately, we’re here to clear things up.
Nearsightedness vs. Farsightedness
To put it simply, being nearsighted means that you can see things up close, but not far away. Being farsighted means that you can see things that are far away, but you probably have trouble reading your computer screen or seeing up close without assistance.
What is Nearsightedness?
Nearsightedness is officially referred to as “myopia,” and means that it’s easier for you to see things up close without glasses (such as reading or seeing a text message on your phone), but your distance vision is blurry. If you find yourself squinting to see the TV, read street signs, or look at people’s faces from across a room, then you’re likely nearsighted.
Nearsightedness is caused when the cornea is too steep or the eye itself is too long, resulting in light rays focusing in front of the retina, rather than directly upon it.
Improperly focused light causes blurry distance vision, which leads to trouble with driving, sports, and just general everyday affairs.
Genetics, age, cataracts and other conditions can all contribute to the development of nearsightedness.
What is Farsightedness?
Farsightedness is officially referred to as “hyperopia,” and means that your distance vision is better than your up-close vision.
If you have trouble reading fine print, seeing your computer screen or doing anything else that requires close-up vision (such as seeing a menu or reading a text message without glasses), then you’re likely farsighted.
Farsightedness is caused when the cornea is too flat, or the eye itself is too short, resulting in light rays focusing behind the retina, rather than directly upon it.
Some children experience farsightedness when they’re young, which they can outgrow as they reach adolescence and their eyes reach their mature, adult shape.
In fact, between birth and five years of age, the volume of your eye nearly doubles, and it also elongates by as much as a third of its size at birth.
All of the same factors that contribute to nearsightedness can also contribute to farsightedness as well.
Long Term Effects
Having to deal with being nearsighted or farsighted is no easy task.
Improper vision makes daily tasks a chore, from having trouble spotting your friends across a parking lot to not being able to read your computer screen without squinting.
This frustration is likely to interfere with normal day-to-day activities, like work, school, driving and playing sports.
If your vision is bad enough, then you may even begin to suffer headaches and eye strain, which can lead to additional health problems of their own.
More importantly, your vision is likely to deteriorate at a more rapid pace should you leave the condition uncorrected.
How to Correct Nearsightedness and Farsightedness
Correcting nearsightedness and farsightedness is relatively easy, with eyeglasses, contact lenses and LASIK surgery all providing effective relief.
The type of lifestyle that you lead should play a major role in determining how you choose to pursue correcting your vision.
For example, if you engage in a lot of fast-paced sports or outdoor activities, then glasses probably aren’t a good idea, but contact lenses will work (with some hassle), and LASIK would provide the perfect solution.
Rather than the short-term fix offered by glasses and contacts, LASIK offers a long-term solution for either nearsightedness or farsightedness, allowing you to enjoy crystal clear vision without the hassle of cleaning solutions, cracked lenses or other issues.
Why Choose LASIK for Nearsightedness & Farsightedness?
While contacts and glasses are like using a band aid, LASIK offers a more permanent solution to the problems of poor vision.
And while no surgery is without risk, keep in mind that nearly 20 million LASIK procedures have been performed worldwide, the vast majority of which have produced excellent results.
When it comes time to fix your nearsightedness or farsightedness, look no further than to Saddleback Eye Center’s own Dr. Charles Manger.
Dr. Manger has been performing LASIK surgery exclusively since 1996, and is the LASIK expert in Orange County.
With over 73,000 LASIK surgeries and a success rate (achieving 20/20 vision or better) of 99.7%, you can trust your vision to his excellent experience.
Dr. Manger ranks amongst the top 1% of LASIK surgeons in the United States, and his bladeless, custom LASIK procedure is not only highly effective, but also virtually painless.
To find out if you’re a good candidate for LASIK surgery, schedule your free LASIK exam today!
Or, simply call us now at 877-351-3937.
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